Accessories for toilet flush tank



June 17, 1958 A. N. PORTER ACCESSORIES FOR TOILET FLUSH TANK Fiied Oct.2, 1956 ATTD RN EYS United States Patent ACCESSORIES FOR TOILET FLUSHTANK Albert N. Porter, Tulsa, Okla.

Application October 2, 1956, Serial No. 613,443 2 Claims. (cm-57 Thisinvention relates to a toilet flush tank.

The object of the invention is to provide a toilet flush tank whichincludes an improved lift rod and guides therefor whereby the toiletflush tank will operate more efficiently.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a toilet flushtank which is provided with an overflow pipe, a ball, and a lift rodwhich has its lower end connected to the ball, and the lift rod beinglonger than the usual lift rods whereby two guide members can bearranged in engagement with the lift rod so as to insure that the liftrod will remain in a vertical position as it moves up and down so thatthe ball will properly seat during the operation or movement thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide flush tank accessorieswhich are extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout thesame.

and the lift rod 14 has its lower end arranged in threaded engagementwith the ball 12. The intermediate portion of the lift rod 14 is coiledso as to define an eye 16. The numeral 17 designates the usual trip armwhich is provided with apertures or openings 18 whereby a link 19 canhave its upper end 20 arranged in engagement with one of the openings18. The link19 is further provided with a lower portion 21 whichreceives the lift rod 14, the portion 21 of the link 19 being arrangedbelow the eye 16 so that as the trip arm 17 is moved, the lift rod 14can be raised to thereby unseat the ball 12 in the seat 11.

There is further provided an upper guide which is indicated generally bythe numeral 22, Figures 1 and Band Figure 2. The upper guide 22 includesa first'po'rtion 23 which extends downwardly into theupper end of theoverflow pipe 1'0, and formed on the lower end of the portion 23 is atriangular section 24. The guide 22 further includes a curved portion 25which engages the upper edge of the overflow pipe 10, and the curvedportion 25 terminates in a downwardly extending second portion 26 whichis arranged on the outside of the pipe 16. The lower end of the portion26 terminates'in'a curved portion 27, and the portion 27 terminates inan upstanding third portion 28, the portion 28 terminating in ahorizontal portion 29, there being an eyelet or loop 36 on the end ofthe portion 29 for receiving the upper Figure 1 is'an elevational viewillustrating a portion 7 of a toilet flush tank, and with parts brokenaway and in section and showing the accessories of the present inventionthereon.

Figure 2 is a top planview illustrating the overflow pipe and upperguide member.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an elevational view illustrating a modified lift rod. 1Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the lift rod ofFigure 5 but taken at right angles thereto.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing a still furthermodified lift rod.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view taken at right angles to the view shownin Figure 7. Y

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a modified upperguide on the upper end of the overflow pipe.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the assembly shown in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on the line 11- 11 of Figure 10.

Referring, in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to Figures'1 through 4 of the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates or designates theusual overflow pipe which is mounted in the toilet flush tank, while thenumeral 1 1 designates the usual seat, the ball 12 being mounted formovement into and out of closing relation with respect to the seat 11.Extending outwardly from the overflow pipe 10 is a lower guide 13.

The numeral 14 designates the lift'rod of the present invention which islonger thanthe conventional lift rods,

end of the lift rod 14.

Referring to' Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings there'is shown amodifiedlift rod which is indicated generally by the numeral 31. The lift rod 31may be made of two pieces or two sections 32 and 33 instead of beingmade of onepiece of material as is the lift rod 14 shown in Figure l.The lift rod 31 thus includes a. lower section 32 and an upper section33. Formed on the upper end of the lower section 32' is a loopor 'eye34; while the lower end of the upper section 33 is provided with aflattened portion 35 which has a threaded aperture there in. A suitablesecuring element such as the bolt 36 extends through the loop 34 andthrough the threaded aperture in the fiattened portion 35 formaintaining the upper and lower sections of the lift rods connected to-'gether. The lower end of the upper section 33 is further provided with apair of spaced parallel fingers 37 which are arranged below the loops 34so as to help maintain the parts in their proper assembled positions.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8' of the drawings, there is shown a stillfurther modified lift rod 38 which is of two piece construction insteadof the one'piece construe tion shown in Figure 1; The lift rod 38includes the lower section 39 and an upper section 40, there being aloop 41 on the upper end of the section 39, there being an offset loop42 on the lower end of the upper section 40. A suitable securing elementsuch as a bolt 43 ex: tends through the pair of loops 41 and 42. Thenumeral 44 indicates a bracket which includes a web 45 that may beprovided with a threaded aperture for receiving an end of the bolt 43,and the bracket 44' further includes upper and lower fingers 46 and 47which are arranged on opposite sides of the loops for helping tomaintain the parts in their proper assembled position.

Referring to Figures 9, l0 and 11 of the drawings, there is shown amodified upper guide which is indicated generally by the numeral 48, andthe upper guide 48' is adapted to be mounted on the upper end of theoverflow pipe 10. The upper guide 48 includes a first portion 49 whichextends downwardly into the interior of the over: flow pipe 10, and thelower end of the first portion 49 is shaped to define a wide lowerportion 50. Extending outwardly from the upper end of the first portion49 is" a second portion 51 which extends across the upper-edge of theoverflow pipe 10, there being a third portion 52 extending downwardlyfrom the portion 51. The lower end of the portion 52 terminates in acurved section or portion 53 which abuts the outer surface of theoverflow pipe 10, and extending upwardly from the curved portion 53 is afourth portion 54 which terminates in anoutwardly extending fifthportion 55. A curved portion 56 extends from the outer end of theportion 55 and terminates in a sixth portion 57, the portion 57 beingprovided with a hook 58 which is mounted for movement into and out ofengagement with the portion 52 as shown b solid and broken lines inFigure 9.

In Figures 9, 10 and 11 the numeral 59 designates an adjustable bodymember which includes a pair of spaced parallel vertically disposed sidewalls 60. The side walls 60 are provided with grooves 61 in their upperedges for at times receiving the portion 57 of the guide. The walls 60are further provided with lower grooves 62 for engageinent with theportion 55 of the guide. The body member 59 further includes an end wall63 which has a lip or ear 64 extending outwardly therefrom, and the lip64 is provided with a circular opening 65 for slidably receivingtheupper end of a lift rod such as one of the previously described liftrods. 7

From the foregoing it is apparent that there has been providedaccessories for use with a toilet flush tank whereby the efliciency ofthe toilet flush tank will be improved. In Figures 1 through 4 there isshown one form of the invention and in use, the trip arm 17 can beactuated in the usual manner to thereby raise the link 19 so'that theportion 21 of the link 19 will engage the lower surface of the eye 16 tothereby raise the lift rod 14. As the lift rod 14 moves upward, itraises the ball 12. It is to be noted that the lift rod 14 is longerthan usual so that two guides 13 and 22 are arranged in engagement withthe lift rod so as to insure that the lift rod will remain in a truevertical position as it moves up and down and this will insure that theball 12 returns to its proper position on' the seat 11 after eachmovement'thereof. Thus, with previous lift rods, the lift rod wasshorterso that only one guide engaged the lift rod whereby the lift rod had atendency to move out of a true vertical position so that the ball 12could readily get out of position so that it would not properly seat.With the present invention these difficulties are overcome. Also inFigures 1, 2 and 4 there is provided the guide 22 which is supported onthe upper end of the pipe 10, and the guide 22 includes the portion 29which has the loop 30 thereon for slidably receiving the upper end ofthe lift rod 14. The lift rod 14 is of one piece construction. Referringto Figures and 6 of the drawings, there is shown a modified lift rodwhich is adapted to be used in lieu of the lift rod 14. The remainingparts of the apparatus may be the same; The lift rod shown in Figures 5and 6 is indicated by the numeral 31and includes the upper section 33and lower section 32 which are connected together as previouslydescribed. The portion 21 of the link 19 is adapted to abut the fingers37 as the trip arm 17 is actuated so that the lift rod will be raised.As shown in Figure 5, the lower end of the lift rod may be threaded forengaging the ball 12.

In Figures 7 and 8 there is shown a still further modified lift rodwhich is indicated generally by the numeral 38, and the lift rod 38again has two sections 39 and 40 connected together so as to provide along lift rod which can be engaged by the upper and lower guide wherebythe lift rod will be maintained in its true vertical position as itmoves. 7 7

Referring to Figures 9, and 11 of the drawings, there is shown amodified guide which is indicated generally by the numeral 48, and theguide 48 is adapted to be used in lieu of the guide 22. The guide 48 isconstructed so that the hook 58 can be disengaged from the portion 52whereby the portion 57 of the guide can move from the' solid lineposition shown in Figure 9 to the 4 broken line position shown in Figure9 so that the body member 59 can be shifted -to different positions inorder to properly align the opening with the upper end of the lift rod.After the body member 59 has been moved to its proper position, the hook58 is again moved to the solid line position shown in Figure 9 so thatthe body member 59 will be retained immobile *in its adjusted position.

When making the lift rod of the present invention, the standard lift rodmay be used as the lower section and then an additional section may beconnected to the upper end of the lower section so as to provide thelonger lift rod. Furthermore, a conventional flush tank has only oneguide for the lift rod but with the present invention two guides areused. Thus, the ball will make a perfect seat each time, the upper guidebeing clamped on top of the overflow pipe 10. Since the lift rod passesthrough the upper and lower guides, it will move straight up and downwhich will insure that the ball will have a perfect seat each time. Theparts can be made of any suitable material and in any shape or size.Thus, with the present invention the ball 12 will effectively close offthe water so that there will be no leakage of Water around the ball. Thebook 58 can be released until the body member 59 is adjusted then thehook 58 is replaced. As previously described, the present invention canbe used on existing flush tanks since an extension or upper section canbe connected to the lower lift rod section which is already on thetoilet flush tank. The bolts such as the bolts 43 and 36 can be readilyremoved or replaced in the event that the lift rod is to bedisassembled. The present invention can be installed as new equipment intoilet flush tanks, or else'existing equipment in the tank can bemodified in accordance with the present invention. Since mostdifficulties which arise when using toilet flush tanks are due to theball not properly seating, the present invention will greatly improvethe efliciency and usefulness of the flush tank. The guide 22 or theguide 48 is constructed so that there are a plurality of bearing pointssuch as the points 24 and 27 whereby accidental shifting of the guidewill be prevented.

I claim:

1. In a flush tank, an overflow pipe, a seat spaced from said overflowpipe, a ball mounted for movement into and out of closing relation withrespect to said seat, a lower guide extending outwardly from saidoverflow pipe and secured thereto, a lift rod having its lower endthreadedly engaging said ball and said rod extending through said guide,a portion of said lift rod being coiled intermediate its ends to definean eye, a movable trip arm provided with a plurality of aperturestherein, a link having one end arranged in engagement with one of theapertures in said trip arm and the other end of said link being arrangedin engagement with said lift rod below said eye, an upper guideextending outwardly from the upper end of said overflow pipe andengaging the upper end of said lift rod, said upper guide comprising afirst portion extending downwardly into the upper end of said overflowpipe and terminating in a triangular lower section, the upper end ofsaid first portion defining a curved portion engaging the upper edge ofsaid overflow pipe and said curved portion terminating in a sec- 0ndportion extending downwardly along the outer surface of said overflowpipe, the lower end of said second portion terminating in a curvedportion abutting the outer surface of said overflow pipe, said lastnamed curved portion terminating in an upstanding third portion, saidthird portion terminating in a horizontally disposed fourth portion, theouter end of said fourth portion being provided with an eyelet forreceiving the upper end of said lift rod.

2. In a toilet flush tank, an overflow pipe, an upper guide extendingoutwardly from the upper end of said overflow pipe, and comprising afirst portion extending downwardly into the upper end of said overflowpipe and 5 6 terminating in a triangular lower section, the upper endminating'in a horizontally disposed fourth portion, the of said firstportion defining a curved portion engaging outer end of said fourthportion being provided with an the upper edge of said overflow pipe andsaid curved eyelet for receiving the upper end of a lift rod. portionterminating in a second portion extending downwardly along the outersurface of said overflow pipe, References Cited in the file of thispatent the lower end of said second portion terminating in a UNITEDSTATES PATENTS curved portion abutting the outer surface of saidoverflow pipe, said last named curved portion terminating 1,013,225 s 11912 in an upstanding third portion, said third portion ter- 2,549,700Mmton P 1951

